Guest guest Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Hi All,Here's what I would like to do .....For the start of the Show on Opening Night ... have a Big Red Button to "start" the show for the first time.After that, the show will just loop and the will not (or will ignore) the Button.Is there an elegant way to do this?A) Using LOR, and have something hooked up to the boxesor Having a power switch that could be controlled by the ButtonIn either case, it would start the "downloaded program" (stored on board the Showtime Boxes) to runningAfter opening night, the stored show will just run and loop anytime power is supplied to the boxes. (The button would be disconnected and put away.)Thanks for your ideas (in advance)T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 LOR does support using a switch to start the sequence that's recorded in the box. Check their manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Wes wrote: LOR does support using a switch to start the sequence that's recorded in the box. Check their manual.Correct. And I believe LOR II is supposed to add this for a music-driven show run by a computer.-Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Wes wrote: LOR does support using a switch to start the sequence that's recorded in the box. Check their manual.Call me a newbie ("You're a newbie!"), but I read the section (pg 8) and I don't quite "get it" to trigger a sequence. It sounds like a switch connected to pins...but what type of switch? photos, faq, or how-to appreciated.I didn't find anything on LORwiki.com.....rns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Hello,Yes, you read correctly. You can use a N.O. (Normally Open) push button to start an animated (NON-Musical) sequence. If it is a momentary button (Push down and it comes back up on its own) It will play the sequence 1 time through then stop, and wait for the button to be pressed again to start the sequence over again. If it is a MAINTAINED button (Stays down after pushing it) it will play the show until you physically PULL the button back up. It works through the input PIN and the GROUND pin on the circuit board.Someone mentioned that LOR II may be able to trigger a MUSICAL sequence. That would be a nice touch. Personally, I used an old Genie garage door remote circuit to run a test sequence on my lights when checking for bad bulbs and such. The remote circuit just closes the input pin and ground pin together through an allen-bradley relay. (Dry Contact) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 splicer480 wrote: If it is a momentary button (Push down and it comes back up on its own) It will play the sequence 1 time through then stop, and wait for the button to be pressed again to start the sequence over again. So would Radio Shack carry such a critter?Yes, I'm a total electrical engineering newb. Software is my thing...rns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 We've had a switch by the donation box over the past few years that will turn the lights on for about 6 minutes. The switch is only active after we "officially" turn the lights off........we leave the switch active for a week after the official last day for those who missed the show (we used to get people coming by the following week asking if we could turn the lights on).We thought about using this all season, but seeing as there is always someone outside, there's no reason to turn the lights off during regular hours.Now, unfortunately we couldn't do this using LOR, but I made a request to Dan a couple years back asking for such control of the software. For now we built a PC board that uses a PIC to do the timing and controls. There are 3 on/off relays on the board...(1) controls the audio, (1) controls the RS-485, and (1) controls power to our older style buffer boards. When the switch is pressed, the PIC turns on these relays for 6 minutes (or however long you want). The only disadvantage to this is that the software runs normally and because the switch doesn't control the software, when it's activated, the running sequence can be ending, be in the middle, or whatever. Point is, when the switch is pressed, your sequence won't start from the beginning.I understand that LOR2 may have the ability use an input to control the start/stop of the software, but aren't sure...been waiting for LORII a couple seasons now.We generally don't advertise the switch until the lights are off for the season, that way we won't get people waiting til the week after to come press it. I can post a pic of the circuitry if anyone's interested, though it's nothing special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I was thinking of getting that big red EASY button from Staples, and see if it can be modified to do it! You may want to add a resistor and a capacitor to your circuit to debounce the on/off. On keyboards, debouncing is usually done with software.Don't know if LOR has debouncing builtin to the port that reads the on/off switch.lindsaylights, you got a pictue of your donation box and switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 jeffostroff wrote: Don't know if LOR has debouncing builtin to the port that reads the on/off switch.From what I understand, a trigger will cause the sequence to play through one pass. Additional triggers while the sequence is playing will be ignored. So debouncing is really unnecessary -- one logical button press may cause a half-dozen electrical 'presses' within a few microseconds, but all but the first will be ignored.-Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Attached is a pic...it's a button switch from a video game console. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 rstephenrrtx wrote: splicer480 wrote: If it is a momentary button (Push down and it comes back up on its own) It will play the sequence 1 time through then stop, and wait for the button to be pressed again to start the sequence over again. So would Radio Shack carry such a critter?Yes, I'm a total electrical engineering newb. Software is my thing...rnsYes, Rat Shack has them. Just ask for a single pole momentary push button for 120 Vac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Do you have a photo of your donation box? Looking for ideas on that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 They are all on our website www.lindsaylights.com .Here are 2 pics... Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 2nd.... Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Well you can use one of those push to light cloest lights. You have to modify it but it will work. How do I know this? Well because he vey first chim-o-matic used one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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